Centrifugal separators



y 1956 J. L. KYSELKA ET AL 2,755,017

' CENTRIF'UGAL SEPARATORS Filed Aug. 50, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 l" 5 V i 5 22 I VENTORV.

,4 TTORNE YS limited States Patent CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATORS James L. Kyselka, Fife Lake, Mich., and Floyd A. Kent, deceased, late of Midland, Mich., by Violet B. Kent, administratrix, Midland, Mich., assignors of twenty per cent to Robert 5. Mode and twenty per cent to Roland P. Place, both of Midland, Mich.

Application August 30, 1952, Serial No. 307,274

15 Claims. (Cl. 233-21) The present invention relates to centrifugal separators and more particularly to separators for separating out liquid components of different specific gravities such as brine and other impurities in crude oil.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to design a simple and economically constructed separator which can be effectively employed in the oil fields to separate out the brine, sludge, and other impurities from crude petroleum before shipping the oil to the refinery for subsequent processing and cracking.

A further object of the invention is to design a separator into which crude petroleum can be introduced from above and which is highly efficient in operation and requires no sludge pump or separate sludge removal means.

Another object of the invention is to design a separator in which the crude petroleum passes through a series of separating compartments to effect a progressive and thereby a finer separation of the lighter and heavier components.

A further object of the invention is to design a separator in which the driving shaft serves also as the intake pipe.

A further object of the invention is to design a separator in which means are provided to assist the centrifugal forces by breaking up the separated lighter liquid components and deflecting any remaining heavier components therein outwardly, thus enabling a finer, more efiicient separation to be obtained.

Another object of the invention is to design a separator in which the working parts are readily accessible for cleaning and repair.

A still further object of the invention is to design a separator of rugged design, which can be simply and economically assembled or disassembled so as to be readily set up and readily movable thereafter to any desired locatron.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion, and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional, side elevational view of the separator, the arrows indicating the direction of flow taken by the incoming crude petroleum and the separate directions of flow taken by the separated components thereof.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view thereof taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan perspective view of a section showing the brine outlet ports and the oil outlet assembly taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, a letter S generally indicates my separator which includes a cylindrical outer casing 0 having a side wall 10, a bottom wall 11, and a removable top or ice cover 12 with a centrally disposed opening 13 therein for the admission of a tubular supply and drive shaft 14.

The shaft 14 is adapted to be driven by means of a pulley 15 which can be drivingly connected to any suitable source of power (not shown) and is journaled in a bearing 16 supported within the opening 13 by a bearing retainer 17 formed on the cover 12 of the casing.

Revolvably mounted concentrically within the outer casing on a thrust bearing 18 carried by a bearing plate 19 within the outer casing and connected to the lower end of the shaft 14 is an inner casing or shell I which includes a centrally disposed, reduced, cylindrical lower extension chamber C, a bottom 20, a conical top or cover 21, and a cylindrical side wall portion 22 with an out-turned flange 23 to which the horizontal flange 24 of the frustoconical bowl cover 21 may be bolted.

Mounted within the inner casing I below the shaft 14 and spaced from the cover 21 is a conical distributor disk 25 which directs the crude petroleum feeding in through the shaft 14 peripherally to the inner face of the wall 22. Vertically disposed, peripherally spaced bars 26 are mounted on the inner face of the wall 22 and formed therein are upwardly angled grooves 27 in which are mounted a plurality of superimposed, spaced-apart inverse conical separating disks 28 to form a plurality of vertically spaced inwardly and downwardly disposed passageways X within the inner casing I to guide the lighter components of the crude liquid inwardly as the progressive centrifugal separation occurs.

The inner edges of the disks 28 are connected to a vaned baflle member B which is mounted centrally within the inner casing I on a horizontal segregating disk 29. This disk 29 is supported by the bars 26 a spaced distance above the bottom 20 of the inner casing I to provide an annular passageway Z for the passage of the heavier brine which has remained near the peripheral wall 21 of the revolving inner casing I and passed downwardly through the passageways Y.

The cylindrical chamber C into which the brine flows from the passageway and escapes in a manner to be presently described, is provided with a central opening to admit the hub 31 of the disk 29 which extends downwardly through a similar opening through the bottom 11 of the outer casing O to form a housing for the admission of a stationary oil outlet pipe 32.

The lower portion of the baffle member B is centrally recessed and an oil collector 34 is mounted therein over the outlet pipe 32. The oil collector 34 comprises a ring base 35 having upwardly curved, centrally intersecting, spiral vanes 36 secured thereto which direct the lighter oil components proceeding toward it from the passages X into the outlet pipe 32 and tend to break up the oil components to allow the centrifugal force to throw any heavier brine or other impurities which have not as yet been senarated outwardly to the passages Y.

The substantially conical bearing plate 19 is mounted above the bottom 11 of the casing O, and the ball bearing 18 is anchored thereon by a flange 37 formed on the bearing plate 19. The inner edge of the plate 19 is turned downwardly as at 38 to provide bearing support for the hub 31 of the disk 29 which of couse rotates with the inner casing I. This plate 19, together with a horizontal plate 39 which is mounted in the outer casing O a spaced distance thereabove form an annular trough or receiving chamber T for receiving the brine and other impurities which have passed from the passage Z down into the chamber C and out the circumferentially spaced ports 40 which are provided in the side wall of the chamber C. A gasket 41 is interposed between the stationary plate 39 and the chamber C, and a brine outlet pipe 42 extends through the side wall 10 of the outer casing O in communication with the annular trough T.

In operation, the crude petroleum is fed in through the tubular shaft 14 and distributed peripherally by the distributor shell 25. The centrifugal force created by the rotation of the inner casing I, which is driven by the shaft 14, retains the heavier brine and other impurities at the periphery of the inner casing I and they proceed downwardly through the passages Y to the compartment Z, and thence downwardly into the chamber C and out the ports 40 to the annular trough T. The lighter oil proceeds inwardly through the passageways X, as it is progressively separated, toward the baffle B, and thence into the oil collector 35 and out the outlet pipe 32. The action of the baffle B and spiral vanes 36 which rotate with the inner casing I is to break up the lighter, pre-separated liquid components to effect a further separation which permits any remaining heavy components to be forced outwardly to the passages Y.

The crude petroleum can be supplied to the rotating shaft 14 by gravity feed, or it can be pumped into the shaft 14, and the separation is effective at relatively low speeds.

What we claim is:

1. In a centrifugal separator, a driving shaft, a substantially closed casing drivingly mounted 011 said shaft, means for introducing a liquid mixture into the top of said casing. a conical distributor mounted within said casing below said means and having its outer peripheral edges spaced from the wall of said inner casing to distribute the liquid mixture directly to the inner peripheral face of said inner casing, a plurality of superimposed, spaced-apart, inversely disposed conical disks mounted within said casing to form a series of inwardly sloped, annular passages for the inward passage of the lighter components of said liquid mixture, said disks having openings in the central portions thereof for passage of said lighter components downwardly, the outer edges of said disks being spaced from the wall of said casing to permit the downward passage of the heavier components of said liquid, means extending into the central portion of the casing for removing said lighter components, and means for removing said heavier components from the casing.

2. In a centrifugal separator, a driving shaft, a substantially closed casing mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith, means for rotatably supporting said shaft and easing, means for delivering a liquid mixture directly to the inner peripheral face of said casing, a series of spaced-apart, super-imposed, inverted conical separating disks mounted within said casing under said means for delivering the mix ture to form a series of inwardly sloped passageways to guide the inward passage of the lighter components of said liquid mixture, said disks having openings in the central portions thereof permitting downward passage of said light components, the outer peripheral edges of said disks being spaced from the inner face of the casing to permit the downward passage of the heavier components of said liquid mixture, a substantially horizontally disposed segregating disk having an opening therethrough in the central portion thereof mounted under said series of disks and spaced from the wall of said casing to permit the further downward passage of said heavier components, said segregating disk being spaced from the bottom wall of said casing to form a passage therebetween for receiving the heavier components of said liquid mixture, an outlet pipe received in the central portion of said casing and extending through the opening in said segregating disk for removing the lighter components of said liquid mixture, said pipe fitting snugly in said opening to prevent passage of any of the light components into the passage under the segregating disk and means for removing said heavier components from the separator.

3. In a centrifugal separator, a driving shaft, a sub stantially closed casing connected to said shaft to rotate therewith, means for rotatably supporting said shaft-and casing, means for delivering a liquid mixture peripherally to the inner face of the wall of the casing, a series of superimposed, spaced-apart, inversely disposed conical disks with substantially central openings formed therein mounted within said casing to form a series of inwardly and downwardly disposed annular passageways to guide the inward passage of the lighter components of said liquid mixture, the outer peripheral edges of said disks being spaced from the wall of said casing to permit the downward passage of the heavier components of said liquid mixture, baffle means comprising substantially vertically extending separating plates rigidly mounted within said casing in the central portion thereof to further break up the lighter components feeding in through said inwardly and downwardly disposed passages, said bathe means being located substantially centrally relative to said disks, means extending into the central portion of the casing for removing the light liquid components, and means for removing the heavy liquid components from the separator.

4. The combination as defined in claim 3 in which a centrally disposed collector having intersecting, upwardly curved, spiral deflecting vanes for further breaking up the light liquid components coming in contact therewith, is interposed between said bathe means and said means for removing the light liquid components.

5. The combination as defined in claim 3 in which said baffle means comprises a series of centrally connected, radial plates spaced at intervals.

6. The combination as defined in claim 3 in which said driving shaft is tubular and opens into the top of: the casing to feed the liquid mixture thereinto, and said means for delivering a liquid mixture to the inner face of the wall of the casing comprises a conical deflector mounted below said shaft and spaced from the walls of said casing to deflect the liquid mixture to the inner peripheral face of the casing.

7. In a centrifugal separator, an upright cylindrical outer casing, a driving shaft extending through the top thereof and journaled therein, centrally disposed bearing means mounted adjacent the bottom of said outer casing, a substantially closed, inner casing having a central low chamber revolvably mounted on said bearing means and connected to said shaft to be driven thereby, means for feeding a liquid mixture directly to the top of the inner peripheral face of the inner casing, a plurality of spaced-apart, super-imposed, inverse conical separating disks rigidly mounted in said inner casing to form a series of inwardly sloped, annular passages to guide the lighter components of said liquid mixture inwardly, the outer peripheral edges of said disks being spaced from the wall of said inner casing to permit the downward passage of the heavier components of said liquid mixture, a segregating disk mounted under said series of separating disks and spaced from the bottom of said inner casing to form a passage therebetween, the outer peripheral edge of said disk being spaced from the wall of said inner casing to allow the downward passage of said heavier components into said passage between said segregating disk and said bottom, ports in the side wall 'of said chamber for the outward passage of said heavier components which have passed from said passage between said disk and said bottom into said chamber, an annular trough formed in said outer casing in communication with said ports to receive said heavy components, an outlet pipe for said trough extending through said outer casing, and closed stationary means extending centrally up through said outer casing, the chamber of said inner casing, said bearing means, and said segregating disk to receive said light components.

8. The combination as defined in claim 7 in which said driving shaft is tubular and open to said inner casing, and said means for feeding a liquid mixture to the top of the inner face of the inner casing comprises a conical distributor member mounted within said inner casing directly below said shaft and spaced from the walls of said inner casing to direct the liquid mixture flowing in through said shaft to the inner peripheral face of said inner casing.

9. The combination as defined in claim 7 in which central aligned openings are provided in each separating disk, and a baffle member is mounted on said segregating disk and extends upwardly through said openings, said baffie member being centrally recessed, and an oil collector member having upwardly curved, deflecting vanes being mounted in said recess over said light componentreceiving means.

10. In a centrifugal separator, a cylindrical, upright outer casing, a cylindrical inner casing having a lower reduced central chamber revolvably mounted within said outer casing and spaced from the walls thereof, a tubular driving and liquid mixture supply shaft extending centrally through the top of said outer casing, a conical cover for said inner casing open to and connected to said shaft, a conical distributor member mounted below said shaft and spaced from said cover to direct the liquid mixture feeding in therethrough to the inner peripheral face of said inner casing, circumferentially spaced spacer bars mounted on the inner face of said inner casing, a series of vertically spaced-apart inverse, frusto-conical disks carried by said spacer bars to form a series of inwardly sloped annular passages to guide the lighter components of said liquid mixture inwardly, a horizontal segregating disk having a hub extending outwardly through said inner and outer casings mounted within said inner casing a spaced distance above the bottom thereof to form a passage thereunder leading to said chamber, the outer peripheral edges of said separating disks and said segregating disk being spaced from the wall of said inner casing to permit the downward passage of the heavy components of said liquid mixture to said passage under said segregating disk, a vertical baflle supporting said distributor mounted centrally on said segregating disk, said baffle having a central cut out portion at the bottom thereof, a stationary light component removal pipe extending within the hub of said segregating disk into said inner casing, an oil collector with upwardly curved, spiraled, centrally intersecting deflector vanes thereon mounted within the cut out portion of said battle over said stationary pipe, circumferentially spaced ports in the side walls of said chamber, a bearing plate mounted adjacent the bottom of said outer casing, a central thrust bearing thereon for revolvably supporting the inner casing, a plate mounted in said outer casing above said bearing plate and above said ports to form with said bearing plate an annular trough in communication with said ports to receive said heavy components, and an outlet pipe for said heavy components extending through said outer casing to communicate with said trough.

11. In a centrifugal separator for separating the lighter and heavier components of a liquid mixture, a substantially closed casing mounted for rotative movement, means for driving said casing, means for delivering said mixture to the inner peripheral face of said casing, at least one separating disk with an opening through the central portions thereof mounted within said inner casing under said delivering means to form a guideway for conducting the lighter components of said mixture centrally, separating plates disposed angularly relative to said disk mounted in the central portion of said casing inwardly of the opening in said disk to further separate the light liquid components conducted centrally by said disk and deflect the heavier components thereof outwardly, the outer peripheral edge of said disk being spaced from the wall of of said casing to form a vertical passageway for the downward passage of the heavier components of said mixture, means extending into the central portion of said casing under said separating plates for removing said lighter components, and means for removing said heavier components from the casing.

12. In a centrifugal separator for separating the lighter and heavier components of a liquid mixture, a substantially closed casing mounted for rotative movement, means for driving said casing, means for delivering said mixture to the inner peripheral face of said casing, a plurality of superimposed, spaced-apart disks under said delivering means with openings through the central portions thereof mounted within said inner casing to form a series of inwardly disposed, annular passages for the lighter components of said mixture, the outer peripheral edges of said disks being spaced from the wall of said casing to form a vertical passageway for the downward passage of the heavier components of said mixture, separating plates disposed angularly relative to said disks mounted within the central portion of said casing inwardly of the openings in said disks, means extending into the central portion of said casing for removing said lighter components, and means for removing said heavier components from the casing.

13. In a centrifugal separator for separating the lighter and heavier components of a liquid mixture, a substantially closed casing, means rotatably supporting and driving said casing, means for delivering said mixture to the inner peripheral face of said casing, a separating disk mounted within said casing under said means for delivering said mixture and forming a guideway for conducting the lighter components of the mixture centrally, said disk having a central opening therein for conducting the lighter components of the mixture downwardly, substantially vertically extending bafile means comprising radially disposed separating plates mounted in the central portion of said casing inwardly of the opening in said disk to further separate the light liquid components conducted centrally by said disk and deflect the heavier components thereof outwardly, the outer peripheral edges of said disk being spaced from the wall of said casing to form a vertical passageway for the downward passage of the heavier components of said mixture, means extending into the central portion of said casing for removing said lighter components, and means for removing said heavier components from the casing.

14. In a centrifugal separator for separatnig the lighter and heavier components of a liquid mixture, a rotatably supported casing, a drive shaft for said casing, means for delivering said mixture to the inner peripheral face of said casing, a plurality of superimposed, spaced-apart disks with openings through the central portions thereof mounted within said inner casing under said means for delivering said mixture to form a series of inwardly disposed, annular passages for the lighter components of said mixture, bafile means extending vertically in the openings through said disks comprising interconnected, radially disposed plates to further separate the light liquid components conducted centrally by said disks and deflect the heavier components thereof outwardly, the outer peripheral edges of said dikss being spaced from the wall of said casing to form a vertical passageway for the downward passage of the heavier components of said mixture, means extending into the central portion of said casing under said baflle means for removing said lighter components, and means for removing said heavier components from the casing.

15. In a centrifugal separator for separating the lighter and heavier components of a liquid mixture, a substantially closed casing, means rotatably supporting and driving said casing, means for delivering said mixture to the inner face of said casing, at least one separating disk including an opening in the central portion thereof mounted within said casing under said delivering means and forming a guideway for conducting the lighter components of the mixture centrally, a collector member open at the top and bottom thereof and including deflecting vanes for further breaking up the lighter liquid components com ing into contact therewith, and deflecting the heavier components thereof outwardly mounted in the central portion of said casing under said opening in said disk, means extending into the central portion of said casing beneath said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 994,553 Alexander June 6, 1911 8 Leitch May 16, 1922 Van Rosen et a1 Jan. 4, 1938 Stigen Nov. 26, 1940 Muerle Aug. 3, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany -2 Sept. 28, 1912 

12. IN A CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR FOR SEPARATING THE LIGHTER AND HEAVIER COMPONENTS OF A LIQUID MIXTURE, A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED CASING MOUNTED FOR ROTATIVE MOVEMENTS, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID CASING, MEANS FOR DELIVERING SAID MIXTURE TO THE INNER PERIPHERAL FACE OF SAID CASING, A PLURALITY OF SUPERIMPOSED, SPACED-APART DISKS UNDER SAID DELIVERING MEANS WITH OPENINGS THROUGH THE CENTRAL PORTIONS THEREOF MOUNTED WITHIN SAID INNER CASING TO FORM A SERIES OF INWARDLY DISPOSED, ANNULAR PASSAGES FOR THE LIGHTER COMPONENTS OF SAID MIXTURE, THE OUTER PERIPHERAL EDGES OF SAID DISKS BEING SPACED FROM THE WALL OF SAID CASING TO FORM A VERTICAL PASSAGEWAY FOR THE DOWNWARD PASSAGE OF THE HEAVIER COMPONENTS OF SAID MIXTURE, SEPARATING PLATES DISPOSED ANGULARLY RELATIVE TO SAID DISKS MOUNTED WITHIN THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID CASING INWARDLY OF THE OPENINGS IN SAID DISKS, MEANS EXTENDING INTO THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID CASING FOR REMOVING SAID LIGHTER COMPONENTS, AND MEANS FOR REMOVING SAID HEAVIER COMPONENTS FROM THE CASING. 